With more rain predicted the next few days, which will most likely set the record for the wettest June on record, I think a larger rock will be needed to keep the post from floating out of the ground.
Rock Too Small
Picture of the Day for June 25, 2014
A hillside of lupines are very pretty but they also change poor soils into a higher quality by fixing nitrogen and fertilizing barren lands. And there is a lot more to their pretty looks as they also have been used for food for over 6000 years, although never reaching the same status of a legume as soybeans or dry peas. Among the nearly 600 species of lupines, some varieties have the ‘sweet gene’ and are used more for food which have great dietary values and benefits.
More than Just Pretty Looks
Picture of the Day for June 23, 2014
The sun didn’t shine on this daisy very long today as it rained while I was mowing lawn so the daisies were the only smiling and sunny things I saw.
Sunny Daisy
Picture of the Day for June 21, 2014
It is the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere, which is when the Sun reaches the farthest point north of the equator and giving us the most hours of sunlight for the whole year. The word solstice is from the Latin solstitium from sol (sun) and stitium (to stop), because it appears the sun stops at the solstice.
And today the sun is actually out for a change instead of raining so I can see the longest day of sunlight, which for my area is fifteen hours and thirty-six minutes. But now that we reached the longest day, each day will be shorter and minutes will disappear like the dandelion seeds and before you know it, the ground won’t be covered with white dandelions but with white snow instead.
Disappearing Daylight
Picture of the Day for June 20, 2014
The flowers were late blooming this year with the extremely long winter and now that they are blooming, it is hard to enjoy them because of the rainy days but at least they are dry this morning. The birds and critters probably are enjoying a break from the rain too as much as I am.
Sea of Color
Picture of the Day for June 18, 2014
The wild roses are blooming but it is difficult to get a picture of them as the bugs are hungry and eat holes in them or the rain and wind beat them up from all the recent storms, but I did find one to take a picture of even though a bug landed on it after I took the picture.
Wild Rose Blooming
Picture of the Day for June 10, 2014
Generally you might see barns of a similar style in an area, especially if built in the same era, but then you might notice one with a different design and it jumps out at you. I like the peaked arch doorway on the side door like a Gothic arch on ancient buildings.
Gothic Arch Doorway
Picture of the Day for June 9, 2014
This past weekend was the free state park day for Wisconsin and so I visited a nearby state park. Standing on a high overlook above a river bed near a waterfall, I spotted the Wild Columbine below me on the cliff. And of course there was no way to get to the flowers on the side of the cliff to take a picture since even a billy goat wouldn’t be able to get a foothold on the cliff. And two years ago at another state park, I also spotted the Wild Columbine on a cliff below me and like this weekend, I could only try to zoom in for a picture so no closeup of the flower. The Aquilegia canadensis has many common names besides Wild Columbine such as American Columbine, Cluckies, Culverwort, Dancing Fairies, Granny’s Bonnets, Honeysuckle, Jack-In-Trousers, Meetinghouses, Rock Bells, Rock Lily but I think I am going to call it ‘Hang on Harvey’ after the 1969 game we played as kids since I spot it hanging on cliffs.
Besides the limestone cliffs that I seem to find them lately, other areas you can find the flower in the eastern North American are woodlands, wooded slopes, sandy savannas, thinly wooded bluffs, shaded areas of limestone cliffs, limestone glades, fens and bogs, and areas along railroad tracks. It is reported that Native Americans rubbed the crushed seeds on the hands of men as a love charm.
Wild Columbine
Picture of the Day for June 3, 2014
The last of the oaks are finally leafing out and it finally looks like summer, although not all the trees survived the long, harsh winter and some big and young trees will not leaf out again.
But the sun is out and it is a nice summer day for a change so I just might have to get my hammock out under the trees.
Trees Green Again
Picture of the Day for May 3, 2014
Today is the fishing opener for the state so people are heading out to the lakes at the crack of dawn to catch the big one, except some lakes are still iced over. I am a wimp and I will wait a month until the landscape greens up before thinking about fishing as I prefer a sunny day with the temperature just right for short sleeves shirt and a light breeze from the west to blow the bugs away.
Waiting for a Warmer Fishing Day
